Folding-chair.



W. H. STOW.

FOLDING CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1908.

954,221 Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

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attenua@ W. H. STOW.

FOLDING CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG..5. 190s.

954,221 Patented Apr.5, 1910.

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attentat/J W. H. STOW.

FOLDING GHAIR. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1908.

954,221 Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

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FOLDING CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 190e.

954,22 1 Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Inventor Witwe/mao n Fig. o

"UNITED STATS PATENT UFFTQE.

WILLIAM H. STOVV,

OF FENNVILLE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO MELVILLE R. BISSELL,

OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

FOLDING CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 5, 1908.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

Serial No. 447,089.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IViLLIAM H. STow, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fennville, in the county of Allegan and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Chairs, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to chairs, and more particularly to folding'chairs, and has for its object to provide a chair which may be used inauditoriums and similar places, and which may be folded to occupy littlespace when not in use, the arrangement being such that the back and s atof the chair are contained within the supporting member, and thusprotected from dust, dampness and so forth.

Another object is to provide a chair of this kind which when folded,will be reduced both laterally and longitudinally, so as to producespaces between the adjacent chairs, facilitating the passage of anaudience to or from the seats.

Another object is to provide a chair of this kind which will includeadjustable feet movable to suit different conditions and arranged to lieat times wholly beneath the supporting upright to occupy little spaceduring transportation.

Other objects and advantages will be ap-A parent from the followingspecification, and 1t will be understood that changes 1n the form,proportion, materials, and minor de-A tails may be made within the scopeof the claims without departing` from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification and in whichlike characters of reference indicate similar parts in the severalviews, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete chair in operativeposition. Fig. 2 isa View showing the chair folded. is a top plan ofFig. 1. Fig. 1 is a` front view. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken fromfront to rear of the seat on line .5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig'. (5 is a similarsection taken vertically through the folded chair. Fig. 7 is a bottoniplan of the base portion with theY feet extended. Fig. 8 is a frontelevation of the back of the chair, the seat being removed. Fig. 9 is aside elevation of the seat and back and connecting portions removed fromthe upright. Fig. 10 is a top plan showing the chair folded with the topremoved. Fig. 11 is a perspective View showing an upholstered chair.Fig. 12 is a section on line :I1-.r of Fig. 11 through the back of thechair, one side thereof being folded.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a chair including a baseportion 10 consisting of a bottom plate 11 provided with upwardlyextending wall portions 12 at its edges. The under face of the plate 11is provided with a plurality of communicating radial dovetailcd guideslots 13, which receive slidably therewithin similarly formed feetmembers 111, including intermediate plate portions 141', and dependinglloor engaging end portions 15. These end portions are beveled as shown,to lit together at the inner ends of the feet, and to conform to theshape of the base portion at the outer ends of the feet. An opening 16is formed through the plate 11 at its center, and receives a pivotfastener 17, by which the chair may be secured to the lloor. Theportions of the feet are provided with casters 18, as shown. The pivotfastener 17 is engaged revolubly through the floor plate 19, which maybe secured to a lloor by means of fasteners 20. rlhe wall portions 19.of the base 10 receive therewithin the lower portion of a hollow upright21 enlarged at its upper end as shown at 22. Upon the upper edge of theenlargement, there is secured a resilient gasket Q3 for a purpose to belater described, and within the upright at. its top, there are secured aplurality of stop blocks 24. Slidably engaged within the upright 21, forvertical movement, there is a member 25, consisting of side plates 26connected at their rearward portions by means of a transverse pivot rod27. These side plates 2G are provided with grooves Q8 at their lowerportions and in their inner faces, and these grooves receive the edgeportions of a horizontal slide 2S) bifurcated at its forward portion asshown at 30, to produce spaced forwardly extending portions 31. At theforward ends of the side plates 26, there are upwardly extending lingers32, the upper edges of the side plates being beveled downwardly andforwardly, as shown at 33. The fingers 32 and lthe rearward portions ofthe side plates 2G are notched as shown at 34 for engagement of the stoplocks 24, to limit the upward movement of the member 25.

Pivoted upon the pivot rod 27, there is a main back member 35, having adepending linger 36 which is engaged in a transverse slot 37 formed inthe rearward portion of the slide 29. 1t will thus be apparent that whenthe back member 35 is moved upon its pivot, the slide will be moved inthe grooves 28. A pair of forwardly extending pivot. pins 37 are carriedby the back member 35 adjacent to the lower end thereof, these pivotpins being in parallel spaced relation. Engaged with each pin, there area plurality of blades 38, which are movable to lie at times against eachother' and inwardly of the side edges of the back member 35, and attimes to extend upwardly and outwardly in fan shape, as shown in thedrawings, to complete the back of the chair.

Pivoted between the lingers 32, there is a main seat member 39, which isthus movable to lie at times in horizontal position, and at times invertical position. This main seat member has at its rearward end, afinger 40 which lies at times between the lower portions of the blades38, and is arranged to engage beveled inner surfaces 38, located at thelower ends of the blades. The slant of these surfaces is varied, as willbe understood, so that the foremost blades are given a greater outwardslant than the remaining blades, when the seat member 39 is moved tobring its finger 40 upwardly. As shown, when the seat member is inhorizontal position, the finger 40 engages a projection 41 carried bythe main back member 35, and thus the movement of the seat member islimited.

Hinged to the sides of the seat member 39, there are supplemental seatwings 42, which lie normally in a common horizontal plane with the mainseat member, but which are movable to lie at times at right angles tothe member 39. 1t will thus be seen that when the member 39 has beenmoved into vertical position, the seat wings 42 maybe moved upon theirhinges to lie against the outer edges of the back blades 38 and mainback member 35. The rearward edges of the seat wings thus rest upon theupper edges 33 of the side plates 26, and the several portions thusassume a rectangular form for passage into the supporting upright 21, asshown in the drawings. The upper portions of the fingers 32 are reducedtransversely to produce horizontal shoulders 43, and these shouldersreceive the seat wings 42 thereupon, when the latter' are in operativeposition, thus supporting the seat wings.

A pair of recesses 44 are formed in the inner face of the forward wall21 of the supporting upright 21, and are arranged to receive the forwardextremities of the spaced portions 31 of the slide 29, and the upperportion 45 of the rearward wall of the upright is beveled outwardly atits inner face,

to permit of slight rearward movement of l the main back member 35, thismovement moving the slide 29 forwardly as stated in the foregoing, andengaging the forward ends of the portions 31 in the recesses 44. Themovable portions are thus held against downward movement. A cap member46 is hinged to the upper end of the main back member 35, and when themovable portions are within the upright 21, the cap 46 may be moved torest upon the gasket 23, and thus close the upper end of the upright.The gasket thus prevents the entrance of dust, and also acts to deadenthe noise incident to folding the chair. When the chair is in operativeposition, the cap extends outwardly and rearwardly at the upper end ofthe back member 35, to form a continuation thereof and to act as a headrest. A knob 47 is carried by the cap, and may be provided with acushion indicated at 48, so that a hat may be secured thereupon by meansof a hatpin. Recesses 48 are formed in the upper edges of theenlargement 22 at the rearward portion thereof, these recesses havingcurved bottoms and being arranged to receive curved lugs 49, which, whenthe seat is moved into the upright, engage the curved bottoms of therecesses 4S, and cause the cap to move into operative position.

1n operation, when it is desired to open the seat, it is but necessaryto grasp the knob 47, drawing the cap upwardly, and therewith the backmember 35 and the portions connected therewith. `When the shouldersformed by the notches 34 have engaged the stop blocks 24, the main seatmember 39 is drawn downwardly and forwardly, which brings it intohorizontal position. By reason of the fact that the finger 40 liesbetween the lowerportions of the back blades 38, this movement of theseat member causes the nger to engage the beveled faces 38 of the blades38, thus moving the blades outwardly upon their pivots. When the seathas been brought into horizontal position, the linger 4() has engagedthe projection 41, this engagement tilting the upper portion of the backmember 35 rearwardly, projecting the slide 29 forwardly, and engagingthe forward extremities of the portions 31 in the recesses 44, as shownparticularly in F ig. 5. r1`he seat is thus locked in position, and theseat wings 42 having been lowered into horizontal position, the chair isready for occupancy. As stated in the foregoing, the movement of theseat member 39 is limited by a stop 41 carried by the forward face ofthe back member 35. YV hen folding the seat, it is but necessary toraise the forward portion of the seat member 39 until it reaches avertical position. The seat wings 42 are then folded inwardly, being`brought into engagement with the outer edges of the back blades 38 whichmoves these blades into vertical position and brings L the seat wingsagainst the sides thereof and against the sides of the back member. Theseveral portions may then be moved downwardly into the supportingupright 2l, when the cap t6 may be moved into position to close theupper end of the upright. By reason of the gasket 23, the upright ismade dust proof.

It will be observed that in the use of chairs of this type, when thelatter are folded, passages are formed between the adjacent chairs, andthus an audience may pass with ease to the seats. .in ease of tire, theseat may be quickly folded, thus providing aisles in all directions,through which the audience may pass out. The chairs may of course beused in a number' of connections, as on ocean steamships, in camps, and`when traveling. 'lhe seat is also adapted for use in the tonneaux ofautomobiles. It will be observed that the rearward inner corners oit theseat wings 42 are shaped for engagement of the finger 32 in such amanner that the seat wings will be moved inwardly when the main seatmember 39 is moved into vertical position.

In Figs. ll and 12 of the drawings there is shown a form of theinvention in which the chair is upholstered and in this form, the backconsists of two blades A and B, to which the upholstering` fastened atits sides the upholsteringalso being fastened to the main back memberindicated at (l. rl`he upholstering is indicated at D.

The seat is covered with upholstering material indicated at G, thelatter being cut and sewed at the points of hinged connection. of theseat members which are indicated at F, Gr, and 1l.

The cap indicated atI l. is suitably padded to receive the head oit theoccupant thereagainst as shown at K.

1t will be observed that when the parts of the Chair are brought intooperative position, tension will be placed upon the upholsteringmaterial and the latter will be held taut.

that is claimed is:

l. 1n a folding chair, the combination with a hollow supporting member,of a member inovable vertically within the supporting member, a lockingslide carried by the member and arranged for movement into and out oflocking engagement with the hollow support, foldable back and seatportions connected with the member, means for bringing the back intounfolded position when the seat is unfolded, and means for moving theslide into locking position when the back is unfolded.

2. A folding chair comprising a hollow position, a seat pivoted formovement .into and out of the support, said back comprising a pluralityof blades pivoted for movement transversely of the support into foldedposition, a seat pivoted for movement into and out of horizontalposition, said seat having side members foldable to embrace said bladesas the seat is turned to vertical position, and a linger at the rearadapted to engage said blades and move the same to opened position asthe seat is turned to hori-4 zontal position.

El. In a folding chair, the combination with a back including a mainmember and a plurality of blades pivoted to the member in parallelseries, of a seat movable into and out of horizontal position and atngel' carried by the seat and 'engaged between the blades, said lingerbeing arranged for movement of the blades into unfolded position whenthe seat is moved into horizontal position.

4l. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a hollowupright, ot a member movably disposed within the upright, a lockingslide mounted in the member, a seat connected with the member and afoldable back connected with the member, said back being connected withthe slide t'or movement otl the latter into locking engagement with theupright when the back is unfolded.

5. A chair comprising a back including a plurality of pivoted blades,said blades being arranged in parallel series, and having convergentadjacent faces and a seat pivotally connected with the backs, said seatincluding a linger extending between the convergent faces of the bladesand arranged for engagement thereof to move the blades outwardly upontheir pivots when the seat is brought into operative position.

A\V chair comprising a back member, forwardly extending parallel pivotpins earried by the back member, a plurality ot blades pivoted adjacentto their lower ends upon each of the pins, said blades having theirinner faces beveled upwardly and inwardly adjacent to their lower ends,a main seat member pivoted forwardly of the back member, a fingercarried by the seat member and extending between the blades at theirbeveled portions for engagement of said beveled portions to move theblades outwardly when the seat is moved in one direction, a seat wingpivoted to each side of the seat member, said seat member being movableinto and out of horizontal position, and means for moving the seat wingsinto engagen'lent with the outer edges of the back blades when themember is moved out of horizontal position.

7. A chair comprising a back member, forwardly extending parallel pivotpins carried by the back member, a plurality of blades pivoted adjacentto their lower ends upon each ot the pins, said blades havingl theirinner .faces beveled upwardly and inwardly adjacent to their lower ends,a main seat member pivoted forwardly ol the back member, a fingercarried by the seatmember and extending between and against the beveledfaces of the blades and arranged for upward movement when the seat ismoved into operative position to separate the blades, a seat wingpivoted to each side of the seat member, said seat member being movableinto and out of horizontal position, means for moving the seat wingsinto engagement with the outer edges of the back blades when the memberis moved out of horizontal position, a hollow support for the back andseat portions, said support being arranged to receive the back and seatportions therewithin when said portions are in folded position and meansfor automatically locking said portions against movement into thesupport when said portions are unfolded.

8. A folding chair, comprising a hollow support having a top closure, avertically movable member traversing` the interior of the support, meansfor locking said member in elevated position, a central back memberpivoted on said movable member to move rearward and connected to thelocking means to' operate the same, blades pivoted to said back memberto turn outward, a central seat member pivoted to the front of saidmovable member to turn to vertical and horizontal positions and having aiinger to engage and move said blades and back member, and sideextensions on said seat member adapted to fold and embrace the blades.

9. A folding chair, comprising a hollow support, a member verticallymovable in the support, a locking slide for said member, a backpivotally supported on saidlmember and connected to the slide to movethe same into locking and unlocking positions, a seat pivotallysupported on said member, and a finger on the rear of the seat engagingand moving the back to operate the slide.

10. A folding chair, comprising a hollow support, a member verticallymovable in the support, a locking slide carried by said member, a backpivotally supported on said member to move forward and rearward, adepending linger on the back engaging the slide to move the same, a`projection on the back, a seat pivoted on the front of said member toturn to horizontal position, and a rearwardly projecting finger on theseat to engage the projection on the back and move the back' rearwardwhen the seat is turned to horizontal position.

ll. A folding chair, comprising a hollow support, a member verticallymovable in the support, a horizontally movable locking slide carried bysaid member, a back pivoted on said member to move rearward and having adownwardly projecting Enger engaging the slide to move the same,oppositely movable pivoted blades mounted on the back and havingconverging inner edges, a seat pivoted to the front of said member andhaving foldable side extensions, and also having a rearwardly projectingfinger to engage the edges of the blades to move the blades outward,said finger also engaging a projection on the back to move the backrearward.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. STOW.

Witnesses:

LnoNoizR L. PARK, LEONA S. WELTER.

